2. Contact Info

3. Dealer Selection

The 2014 Kia Sorento has a new engine, new chassis, new style, and new performance — you might think it’s a new-generation vehicle, but Kia insists it’s not.

“We’re calling it a mid-cycle face-lift,” said Steve Hirashiki, Kia’s senior product planner, at the Sorento’s media launch in Scottsdale, Arizona. The brand’s seven-passenger unibody CUV got 80 percent of its parts revised or replaced. (Keep in mind that the latest generation hit dealers in 2010.)

Why, after only a few years, was it time for a redo?

“We listened to our customers,” said Ralph Tjoa, Kia’s national manager for product planning. Most wanted a cushier ride and a longer amenity list, he explained. Having a proactive customer relations team that listened to their consumers was just one element of the decision. The eagerness of Kia’s engineering division and the automaker’s tight family ties with Hyundai (the Sorento shares its chassis with the new Santa Fe) also served as incentives for the revision.

Engineers quickly went to work on the all-new platform. They gave it a stiffer H-shaped subframe, redesigned front suspension with lightweight components and high-performance dampers, and a retuned multi-link rear suspension with larger bushings and mounts. One quarter of the chassis is made from ultra-high tensile strength (UHTS) steel, which, in part, helps to increase rigidity by 18 percent over the outgoing model. Road feel also benefits from the electrically driven power steering unit that replaces the hydraulic system. It uses a three-mode FlexSteer system that varies assist boost (Comfort, Normal, Sport).

Next came the sorting of a revised engine range. Kia’s old 3.5-liter six-cylinder was axed in favor of the more potent 290-horsepower, 3.3-liter V-6. (A new 2.4-liter four-cylinder powers the entry-level LX.) A six-speed automatic distributes power through Magna’s torque vectoring all-wheel-drive system, though if you prefer, front-wheel drive is available.

Designers tweaked the Sorento’s wardrobe just a tad. The front clip now has a wider lower valance with foglights set at its outer edges to emphasize its girth. Above the valance is an updated rendition of Kia’s “Tiger Nose” grille with anodized silver or black mesh. Its halogen projector headlights house bright LED auxiliary lamps, while at the rear, corona-shaped LEDs make up the taillights. New 19-inch silver alloys wrapped in 235/55R-19 all-season rubber fill the wheel wells nicely.

The numerous sub-surface changes are evident after just a few miles at the helm. Exterior road noise now barely penetrates the passenger space; the suspension happily soaks up nastiness below; and there’s ample power throughout the V-6’s entire rev range. The automatic gearbox smoothly knocks off gears, and if desired, can be shifted manually. One more note on the suspension: The ride is not only more comfortable than that of the model it replaces, but it’s also more adept at controlling and setting the Sorento’s 4000-plus-pound, eager-to-lean heft in and out of corners. The FlexSteer system, however, provides minimal feedback and has a very artificial tug no matter the mode selected. Still, the Sorento is fun, controllable, and powerful.

On the track, the Sorento, as expected, wasn’t all that speedy or sticky. Hustling it to 60 mph from a standstill took 7.3 seconds – barely quicker than our 2011 long termer’s 7.4-second sprint. Keep the throttle jabbed to see a quarter-mile pass in 15.7 second at 89.6 mph; stomp the left pedal to halt it from 60 mph in 121 feet. That’s 4 feet shorter than our long-termer’s best attempt.

Passengers will likely enjoy their time inside. The redesigned cabin has a simpler layout that’s replete with softer, higher-grade plastics, leather, and trim. The dash’s standard-issue 8-inch LCD centerpiece commands Kia’s latest Google-powered UVO infotainment and telemetrics system which is highly useful, responsive, and a breeze to navigate. The screen also controls a 10-speaker Infinity surround sound stereo that’s one of the clearest and loudest offered in a sub-six-figure vehicle. A new all-digital speedometer sits behind the multifunction steering wheel and successfully gives a high-end vibe to what was previously an unassuming dash.

Kia’s first-ever power liftgate made grocery runs, road trips, and daily cargo hauls easier during our two-week loan. Its opening height can be programed to accommodate for vertically challenged users. You’d best reserve the available third row seats (a $1000 option; the only option package that’s available on the SX) for those same petite adults or any extra kiddos.

Other standard SX trim items including second-row sunshades, dual cooling and heated front seats, 115-volt power invertor, backup camera, push-button start, dual climate control, and — another Kia first — a blind spot detection system up the convenience and “wow” factors. That said, it was the redesigned panorama sunroof with power opaque (not mesh) cover that really took everyone aback.

Kia’s engineers listened to their constituents and did something spectacular. They successfully, diligently, and quickly made impactful changes to a youngish model. That’s a rarity in today’s industry. In the end, they minted a Sorento that’s their best yet.

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